The year-end celebrations are at the gates of the city, and Nice is starting to don its Santa Claus attire. The program is impressive, and we’ll return to it as the events unfold.
The kickoff was given yesterday, as tradition dictates, by the city’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, who inaugurated “Lou Prรฉsรฉpi” located in front of Sainte Rรฉparate in Place Rossetti. As every year, it is a life-sized nativity scene with 17 automated figures that will delight both adults and children.
The recent controversies, stemming from the recommendation of the Association of French Mayors regarding the contrast between this tradition and secularism in public spaces, have only made the mayor of Nice more determined: “This tradition is age-old and is part of the heritage of the people of Nice,” he stated with his usual enthusiasm.
Moreover, the notes of “Nissa la Bella” accompanied the words of the city’s first magistrate.
A little later, before a large audience and in the presence of the Russian ambassador to Paris, Mr. Alexander Orlov*, the illuminations provided a special glow to the Nice nightfall.
Along with them, the spectacular dome installation over Apollo and his fountain, the ice castle (a monumental sculpture 12 meters high and 18 meters wide), which stands in the middle of the Paillon promenade, and of course, the traditional Ferris wheel which simply looks vertiginous.
Ecology obliges, the spectacular nature of the attractions does not conflict with environmental respect: the illumination of the decorations is done with LED lamps whose power is 5 to 10 times greater than halogen lamps for a power nine times lower.
It just goes to show, when you want to do things right, it’s always possible!
